Adfero et Iudicium for 2-6-2009 AD

Adfero et Iudicium, it’s my attempt at Latin for “News & Analysis”. If anyone knows the correct translation, please leave me a comment. Some highlights around the Catholic blogosphere, or St. Blogs as some would say, so here we go…

…It’s been a month or so since Catholic World News, with Diogenes and Off the Record, changed to Catholic Culture. In my humble opinion I like the old graphics, color, and layout better than what they have now. Hopefully they are just tweaking it still and it will be updated later…

…if you wish to write a personal note of support to Papa Bene in regards to the attacks he has been receiving lately from the secular media and dissident Catholics click here…

…anyone wanting to help Amy Welborn and her family in this time of mourning click here…

…and finally, we here at American Catholic appreciate all the support and encouragement we have received are asking if you want to take an extra step in showing your appreciation, then please go to the blogger choice awards website and vote for The American Catholic in the Best Religion Blog category…

…oh, and if you just didn’t get your fill of news today, go here for the latest in Catholic opinion, analysis, and news.

I’m not sure what the comments above refer to, but I will say it’s not uncommon for people to edit their posts within the first several hours if they think the original was uncharitable. For example, last week MM edited a post after I and Zippy commented that we didn’t think it was appropriate. After he addressed our objections, we asked him to delete the comments because they were no longer relevant to the post.

Setting aside for the moment longer-term disagreements, does your objection still apply to the post?

instead of being the pot calling the kettle black by casting out accusations of sin, why don’t you propose that the person in question is not a dissident. The last I heard, “dissident” does not carry any canonical or moral connotation, and I’m not sure it even is necessarily pejorative. Now you’ve destroyed the possibility of a reasonable discussion about this particular question.

Well, I am glad he removed the link. Tito and I have had conversations previously about his descriptions of VN. Suffice it to say, I think we disagree. I understand your concerns, and I will continue to express disagreements with Tito if/when they arise.

That said, this is his thread and he is free to monitor it as he pleases. As you are undoubtedly aware from VN, substantial latitude has to be provided to each contributor in this regard. I’ve had my share of editing disagreements on a number of blogs, including yours, but, ultimately, each contributor is responsible for their own threads and moderation.

It’s a collaborative enterprise, and there is no practical distinction between ‘guest’ contributors and regular contributors, other than frequency of posting. My understanding is that Tito put the blog together, and invited all of the contributors (I came a bit later as I am a rookie blogger). It is only due to an excess of modesty that Tito lists himself as a guest contributor. I agree that there is an unevenness in the quality of our posts; at least, I certainly feel that way about my own posting. We all work at it however. Hopefully it can be of service to our readers.

Tito has now allowed you to make your point repeatedly. Anyone reading this thread can judge the issue for themselves, and I think this is a fair enough resolution under the circumstances.

MM,

I am glad to hear you can converse with most of us (14 out of 15 isn’t bad!).Please dispense with the ‘I can only pray for,’ line. You rightly object when people use it on you. Kindly extend the same courtesy you ask for to others.

iudicium, -i which you’ve used here is a term generally refering to a legal analysis, or legal judgement. I’m not sure if it’s exactly the word you’d want, but I’d advise you to keep the title because you have a visual pun of sorts with ludicrum, a joke, gag or skit. Given the nature of the world, much news is also a joke, so I kind of like it so long as you stick with the sans-serif font.

Adfero is more problematic, however, because it’s a first person singular verb, but you’re using it as if it were a noun. “I bring news” rather than “news”.

Of course, it’s easier to criticize than to create. I’d have to sit down with my trusty Latin dictionary to come up with a good “news and analysis” title in Latin.

Taking a little time off from blogging today I see now what Henry K. was referring to in his original post. John Henry hit the nail on the head explaining correctly that some of us here at A.C. do some editing after the initial posting.

What originally was an attempt at humor was taken out of context.

Henry K. I’ve always defended you in the past because you seemed the most sincere of the center-left group over at VN, I hope this remains true still. MM, you are who you are.

Prudence seems to be lacking in the comments. Justice is no where to be found by the comments made towards my character. Fortitude is in short supply. Temperance we can all really use.

Seeing that we are well versed in our faith we’ve failed our Lord in practicing these cardinal virtues towards each other. How are we to evangelize and bring others into the fold if we continue on this path of the self-destruction of our souls? Who wants to be a Catholic when the allegedly most well-informed and instructed on the faith,

[if we know our faith, we know we should be charitable towards each other; not throwing baseless accusations]

you two and I, come out swinging at every real and perceived transgression?

Faith, hope, and charity become weak due to the poor application of these virtues mentioned above. Our moral foundation is undermined by the actions we have exhibited day in and day out.

To be fair to Henry K. & MM, I was poking fun at MM’s SUV posting over at VN. If Henry K. would have taken the time to be prudent and read the entire sentence instead of stopping at “dissident”, he would have understood that I was joking about the SUV posting of MM. I wasn’t trying to be vicious as Henry K (& MM) were insinuating.

Their perception of intended malice would have been justified if the intent was there. It wasn’t.

Tito cast an aspersion at Vox Nova with humorous intent and removed it when he realized it was causing offense instead. Your dogged outrage over this would be a little more believable if you didn’t constantly question other people’s commitment to Catholicism, not merely humorously, but insisting that you’re merely making an observation of fact.

My advice is: chill.

You’ve not been injured, and indeed you’ve received rather less than you routinely dish out. Keeping it up is only going to make you look petty at this point.